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<refentry id="systemd.special">

        <refentryinfo>
                <title>systemd.special</title>
                <productname>systemd</productname>

                <authorgroup>
                        <author>
                                <contrib>Developer</contrib>
                                <firstname>Lennart</firstname>
                                <surname>Poettering</surname>
                                <email>lennart@poettering.net</email>
                        </author>
                </authorgroup>
        </refentryinfo>

        <refmeta>
                <refentrytitle>systemd.special</refentrytitle>
                <manvolnum>7</manvolnum>
        </refmeta>

        <refnamediv>
                <refname>systemd.special</refname>
                <refpurpose>special systemd units</refpurpose>
        </refnamediv>

        <refsynopsisdiv>
                <para><filename>basic.target</filename>,
                <filename>ctrl-alt-del.target</filename>,
                <filename>@SPECIAL_DBUS_SERVICE@</filename>,
                <filename>dbus.target</filename>,
                <filename>default.target</filename>,
                <filename>display-manager.service</filename>,
                <filename>emergency.service</filename>,
                <filename>exit.service</filename>,
                <filename>graphical.target</filename>,
                <filename>halt.target</filename>,
                <filename>kbrequest.target</filename>,
                <filename>local-fs.target</filename>,
                <filename>mail-transfer-agent.target</filename>,
                <filename>multi-user.target</filename>,
                <filename>network.target</filename>,
                <filename>nss-lookup.target</filename>,
                <filename>poweroff.target</filename>,
                <filename>reboot.target</filename>,
                <filename>remote-fs.target</filename>,
                <filename>rescue.target</filename>,
                <filename>rpcbind.target</filename>,
                <filename>rtc-set.target</filename>,
                <filename>runlevel2.target</filename>,
                <filename>runlevel3.target</filename>,
                <filename>runlevel4.target</filename>,
                <filename>runlevel5.target</filename>,
                <filename>shutdown.target</filename>,
                <filename>sigpwr.target</filename>,
                <filename>sockets.target</filename>,
                <filename>swap.target</filename>,
                <filename>sysinit.target</filename>,
                <filename>@SPECIAL_SYSLOG_SERVICE@</filename>,
                <filename>syslog.target</filename>,
                <filename>systemd-initctl.service</filename>,
                <filename>systemd-initctl.socket</filename>,
                <filename>systemd-logger.service</filename>,
                <filename>systemd-logger.socket</filename></para>
        </refsynopsisdiv>

        <refsect1>
                <title>Description</title>

                <para>A few units are treated specially by
                systemd. They have special internal semantics and
                cannot be renamed.</para>
        </refsect1>

        <refsect1>
                <title>Special System Units</title>

                <variablelist>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>basic.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>A special target unit
                                        covering early boot-up.</para>
                                        <para>systemd automatically
                                        adds dependencies of the types
                                        Requires and After for this
                                        target unit to all SysV
                                        service units configured for
                                        runlevel 1 to 5.</para>
                                        <para>Usually this should pull-in
                                        all sockets, mount points,
                                        swap devices and other basic
                                        initialization necessary for
                                        the general purpose
                                        daemons. Most normal daemons
                                        should have dependencies of
                                        type After and Requires on
                                        this unit.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>ctrl-alt-del.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>systemd starts this
                                        target whenever
                                        Control+Alt+Del is pressed on
                                        the console. Usually this
                                        should be aliased (symlinked)
                                        to
                                        <filename>reboot.target</filename>.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>@SPECIAL_DBUS_SERVICE@</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>A special unit for the
                                        D-Bus system bus. As soon as
                                        this service is fully started
                                        up systemd will connect to it
                                        and register its
                                        service.</para>

                                        <para>Units should generally
                                        avoid depending on this unit
                                        directly and instead refer to
                                        the
                                        <filename>dbus.target</filename>
                                        unit instead, which pulls this
                                        one in directly or indirectly
                                        via socket-based activation.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>dbus.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>Administrators should
                                        ensure that this target pulls
                                        in a service unit with the
                                        name or alias of
                                        <filename>@SPECIAL_DBUS_SERVICE@</filename>
                                        (or a socket unit that
                                        activates this
                                        service).</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>default.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>The default unit systemd
                                        starts at bootup. Usually this
                                        should be aliased (symlinked)
                                        to
                                        <filename>multi-user.target</filename>
                                        or
                                        <filename>graphical.target</filename>.</para>
                                        <para>The default unit systemd
                                        starts at bootup can be
                                        overriden with the
                                        <varname>systemd.default=</varname>
                                        kernel command line option.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>display-manager.service</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>The display manager
                                        service. Usually this should
                                        be aliased (symlinked) to
                                        <filename>xdm.service</filename>
                                        or a similar display manager
                                        service.</para>
                                        <para>systemd automatically
                                        adds dependencies of type
                                        After for this target unit to
                                        all SysV init script service
                                        units with a LSB header
                                        referring to the
                                        <literal>$x-display-manager</literal>
                                        facility, for compatibility
                                        with Debian.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>emergency.service</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>A special service unit
                                        that starts an emergency
                                        shell on the main
                                        console. This unit is supposed
                                        to be used with the kernel
                                        command line option
                                        <varname>systemd.default=</varname>
                                        and has otherwise little use.
                                        </para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>graphical.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>A special target unit
                                        for setting up a graphical
                                        login screen. This pulls in
                                        <filename>multi-user.target</filename>.</para>

                                        <para>Units that are needed
                                        for graphical login shall add
                                        Wants dependencies for their
                                        unit to this unit (or
                                        <filename>multi-user.target</filename>)
                                        during installation.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>halt.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>A special target unit
                                        for shutting down and halting the system.</para>

                                        <para>Applications wanting to
                                        halt the system should start
                                        this unit.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>kbrequest.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>systemd starts this
                                        target whenever Alt+ArrowUp is
                                        pressed on the console. This
                                        is a good candidate to be
                                        aliased (symlinked) to
                                        <filename>rescue.target</filename>.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>local-fs.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>systemd automatically
                                        adds dependencies of type
                                        After to all mount units that
                                        refer to local mount points
                                        for this target unit. In
                                        addition, systemd adds
                                        dependencies of type Wants to
                                        this target unit for those
                                        mounts listed in
                                        <filename>/etc/fstab</filename>
                                        that have the
                                        <option>auto</option> and
                                        <option>comment=systemd.mount</option>
                                        mount options set.</para>

                                        <para>systemd automatically
                                        adds dependencies of type
                                        After for this target unit to
                                        all SysV init script service
                                        units with an LSB header
                                        referring to the
                                        <literal>$local_fs</literal>
                                        facility.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>mail-transfer-agent.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>The mail transfer agent
                                        (MTA) service. Usually this
                                        should pull-in all units
                                        necessary for
                                        sending/receiving mails on the
                                        local host.</para>

                                        <para>systemd automatically
                                        adds dependencies of type
                                        After for this target unit to
                                        all SysV init script service
                                        units with an LSB header
                                        referring to the
                                        <literal>$mail-transfer-argent</literal>
                                        or
                                        <literal>$mail-transport-agent</literal>
                                        facilities, for compatibility
                                        with Debian.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>multi-user.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>A special target unit
                                        for setting up a multi-user
                                        system (non-graphical). This
                                        is pulled in by
                                        <filename>graphical.target</filename>.</para>

                                        <para>Units that are needed
                                        for a multi-user system shall
                                        add Wants dependencies to
                                        this unit for their unit during
                                        installation.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>network.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>systemd automatically
                                        adds dependencies of type
                                        After for this target unit to
                                        all SysV init script service
                                        units with an LSB header
                                        referring to the
                                        <literal>$network</literal>
                                        facility.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>nss-lookup.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>systemd automatically
                                        adds dependencies of type
                                        After for this target unit to
                                        all SysV init script service
                                        units with an LSB header
                                        referring to the
                                        <literal>$named</literal>
                                        facility.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>poweroff.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>A special target unit
                                        for shutting down and powering off the system.</para>

                                        <para>Applications wanting to
                                        power off the system should start
                                        this unit.</para>

                                        <para><filename>runlevel0.target</filename>
                                        is an alias for this target
                                        unit, for compatibility with SysV.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>reboot.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>A special target unit
                                        for shutting down and rebooting the system.</para>

                                        <para>Applications wanting to
                                        reboot the system should start
                                        this unit.</para>

                                        <para><filename>runlevel6.target</filename>
                                        is an alias for this target
                                        unit, for compatibility with SysV.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>remote-fs.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>Similar to
                                        <filename>local-fs.target</filename>,
                                        but for remote mount
                                        points.</para>

                                        <para>systemd automatically
                                        adds dependencies of type
                                        After for this target unit to
                                        all SysV init script service
                                        units with an LSB header
                                        referring to the
                                        <literal>$remote_fs</literal>
                                        facility.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>rescue.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>A special target unit
                                        for setting up the base system
                                        and a rescue shell.</para>

                                        <para><filename>runlevel1.target</filename>
                                        is an alias for this target
                                        unit, for compatibility with SysV.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>rpcbind.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>systemd automatically
                                        adds dependencies of type
                                        After for this target unit to
                                        all SysV init script service
                                        units with an LSB header
                                        referring to the
                                        <literal>$rpcbind</literal>
                                        facility.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>rtc-set.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>systemd automatically
                                        adds dependencies of type
                                        After for this target unit to
                                        all SysV init script service
                                        units with an LSB header
                                        referring to the
                                        <literal>$time</literal>
                                        facility.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>runlevel2.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>This is a target that is
                                        called whever the SysV
                                        compatibility code asks for
                                        runlevel 2. It is a good idea
                                        to make this an alias for
                                        (i.e. symlink to)
                                        <filename>multi-user.target</filename>.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>runlevel3.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>This is a target that is
                                        called whever the SysV
                                        compatibility code asks for
                                        runlevel 3. It is a good idea
                                        to make this an alias for
                                        (i.e. symlink to)
                                        <filename>multi-user.target</filename>
                                        or
                                        <filename>graphical.target</filename>.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>runlevel4.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>This is a target that is
                                        called whever the SysV
                                        compatibility code asks for
                                        runlevel 4. It is a good idea
                                        to make this an alias for
                                        (i.e. symlink to)
                                        <filename>multi-user.target</filename>
                                        or
                                        <filename>graphical.target</filename>.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>runlevel5.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>This is a target that is
                                        called whever the SysV
                                        compatibility code asks for
                                        runlevel 5. It is a good idea
                                        to make this an alias for
                                        (i.e. symlink to)
                                        <filename>multi-user.target</filename>
                                        or
                                        <filename>graphical.target</filename>.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>shutdown.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>A special target unit
                                        that terminates the services
                                        on system shutdown.</para>

                                        <para>Services that shall be
                                        terminated on system shutdown
                                        shall add Conflicts
                                        dependencies to this unit for
                                        their service unit during
                                        installation.</para>

                                        <para>systemd automatically
                                        adds dependencies of type
                                        Conflicts to this target unit
                                        for all SysV init script
                                        service units that shall be
                                        terminated in SysV runlevels 0
                                        or 6.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>sigpwr.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>A special target that is
                                        started when systemd receives
                                        the SIGPWR process signal,
                                        which is normally sent by the
                                        kernel or UPS daemons when
                                        power fails.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>sockets.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>A special target unit
                                        that sets up all service
                                        sockets.</para>

                                        <para>Services that can be
                                        socket-activated shall add
                                        Wants dependencies to this
                                        unit for their socket unit
                                        during installation.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>swap.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>Similar to
                                        <filename>local-fs.target</filename>, but for swap
                                        partitions and swap
                                        files.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>sysinit.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>A special target unit
                                        covering early boot-up scripts.</para>
                                        <para>systemd automatically
                                        adds dependencies of the types
                                        Wants and After for all
                                        SysV service units configured
                                        for runlevels that are not 0
                                        to 6 to this target unit.
                                        This covers the special
                                        boot-up runlevels some
                                        distributions have, such as S
                                        or b.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>@SPECIAL_SYSLOG_SERVICE@</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>A special unit for the
                                        syslog daemon. As soon as
                                        this service is fully started
                                        up systemd will connect to it
                                        and use it for logging if it
                                        has been configured for
                                        that.</para>

                                        <para>Units should generally
                                        avoid depending on this unit
                                        directly and instead refer to
                                        the
                                        <filename>syslog.target</filename>
                                        unit instead, which pulls this
                                        one in directly or indirectly
                                        via socket-based activation.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>syslog.target</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>systemd automatically
                                        adds dependencies of type
                                        After for this target unit to
                                        all SysV init script service
                                        units with an LSB header
                                        referring to the
                                        <literal>$syslog</literal>
                                        facility.</para>

                                        <para>Administrators should
                                        ensure that this target pulls
                                        in a service unit with the
                                        name or alias of
                                        <filename>@SPECIAL_SYSLOG_SERVICE@</filename>
                                        (or a socket unit that
                                        activates this
                                        service).</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>systemd-initctl.service</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>This provides
                                        compatibility with the SysV
                                        /dev/initctl file system FIFO
                                        for communication with the
                                        init system.</para>
                                        <para>This is a
                                        socket-activated service, see
                                        <filename>system-initctl.socket</filename>.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>systemd-initctl.socket</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>Socket activation unit
                                        for
                                        <filename>system-initctl.service</filename>.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>systemd-logger.service</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>This is internally used
                                        by systemd to provide syslog
                                        logging to the processes it
                                        maintains.</para>
                                        <para>This is a
                                        socket-activated service, see
                                        <filename>system-logger.socket</filename>.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>systemd-logger.socket</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>Socket activation unit
                                        for
                                        <filename>system-logger.service</filename>. systemd
                                        will automatically add
                                        dependencies of types Requires
                                        and After to all units that
                                        have been configured for
                                        stdout or stderr to be
                                        connected to syslog or the
                                        kernel log buffer.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                </variablelist>
        </refsect1>

        <refsect1>
                <title>Special Session Units</title>

                <para>When systemd runs as a service instance, the
                following special units are available, which have
                similar definitions as their system counterparts:
                <filename>default.target</filename>,
                <filename>local-fs.target</filename>,
                <filename>remote-fs.target</filename>,
                <filename>shutdown.target</filename>,
                <filename>sockets.target</filename>,
                <filename>swap.target</filename>.</para>

                <para>In addition the following special unit is
                understood only when systemd runs as service instance:</para>

                <variablelist>
                        <varlistentry>
                                <term><filename>exit.service</filename></term>
                                <listitem>
                                        <para>A special service unit
                                        for shutting down the
                                        session.</para>

                                        <para>Applications wanting to
                                        terminate the session should
                                        start this unit. If systemd
                                        receives SIGTERM or SIGINT
                                        when running as session daemon
                                        it will start this
                                        unit.</para>

                                        <para>Normally, this pulls in
                                        <filename>shutdown.target</filename>
                                        which in turn should be
                                        conflicted by all units that
                                        want to be shut down on
                                        session exit.</para>
                                </listitem>
                        </varlistentry>
                </variablelist>
        </refsect1>

        <refsect1>
                  <title>See Also</title>
                  <para>
                          <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.unit</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>
                          <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.service</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>
                          <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.socket</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>
                          <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.target</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>
                  </para>
        </refsect1>

</refentry>
